Four charged for detaining police officer – TheNigerialawyer

Three men – Kujembola Olawashina, 36; Kola AfolabI, 42; Alade
Adeyinka, 26, and a female, Toyin Obide, 49 – charged with
assaulting and unlawfully detaining a policeman, were on Monday
arraigned in Lagos.

The defendants appeared before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court on a
four-count charge of conspiracy, breach of the peace, assault and
obstructing police officer from performing his duty.

They, however, pleaded not guilty.

According to the Prosecutor, ASP Ezekiel Ayorinde, the
defendants and others still at large committed the offences on Nov.
18 at Edge Base Technology, Ikeja.

He said that the defendants conducted themselves in a manner
likely to cause breach of the peace by beating, obstructing and
detaining a police officer attached to Area F Police Command,
Ikeja, from executing his duty.

“The complainant went to the defendants’ company to arrest one
of their staff who failed to honour the police invitation in a case
of fraud and stealing.

“The defendants prevented the complainant from arresting the
suspect.

“They beat him up and locked him inside a room.

“When the complainant was finally freed without executing his
duty, he came back with his colleagues to arrest the defendants
while the others escaped,” the prosecutor said.

The alleged offences contravene Sections 164, 117, 174 and 411
of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 174
carries three years’ imprisonment for assault while Section 117
provides for three years’ imprisonment for obstructing and
resisting police officer.

The Magistrate, Mrs B.O. Osunsanmi, gave the defendants bail of
N200,000 each with two sureties, who should be gainfully employed
and show evidence of two years’ tax payment to the Lagos State
Government.

The case continues on Feb. 17.